phenomenology of mind-第86章

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thought　in　the　sense　of　absolute　notion　with　all　its　power　of　negativity；　which　annihilates　every
objective　existence　that　would　claim　to　stand　over　against　consciousness；　and　turns　it　into　a　form
of　conscious　existence。

This　pure　consciousness　is　at　the　same　time　simple　and　undifferentiated　as　well；　just　because　its
distinction　is　no　distinction。　Being　this　form　of　bare　and　simple　reflexion　into　self；　however；　it　is　the
element　of　belief；　in　which　spirit　has　the　character　of　positive　universality；　of　what　is　inherent　and
essential　in　contrast　with　that　self…existence　of　self…consciousness。

Forced　back　upon　itself　away　from　this　unsubstantial　world　whose　being　is　mere　dissolution；　spirit
when　we　consider　its　true　meaning　is；　in　undivided　unity；　at　once　the　absolute　movement；　the
ceaseless　process　of　negating　its　appearance；　as　well　as　the　essential　substance　thereof　satisfied
within　itself；　and　the　positive　stability　of　that　process。　But；　bearing　as　they　inherently　do　the
characteristic　of　alienation；　these　two　moments　fall　apart　in　the　shape　of　a　twofold　consciousness。
The　former　is　pure　Insight；　the　spiritual　process　concentrated　and　focussed　in　self…consciousness；　a
process　which　has　over　against　it　the　consciousness　of　something　positive；　the　form　of　objectivity
or　presentation；　and　which　directs　itself　against　this　presented　object。　The　proper　and　peculiar
object　of　this　insight　is；　however；　merely　pure　ego。（2）　The　bare　consciousness　of　the　positive
element；　of　unbroken　self…identity；　finds　its　object；　on　the　other　hand；　in　the　inner　reality　as　such。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（2）　The　Object　of　Belief

Pure　insight　has；　therefore；　in　the　first　instance；　no　content　within　it；　because　it　exists　for　itself　by
negating　everything　in　it；　to　belief；　on　the　other　hand；　belongs　the　content；　but　without　insight。
While　the　former　does　not　get　away　from　self…consciousness；　the　latter　to　be　sure　has　its　content
as　well　in　the　element　of　pure　self…consciousness；　but　only　in　thought；　not　in　conceptions　—　in　pure
consciousness；　not　in　pure　self…consciousness。　Belief　is；　as　a　fact；　in　this　way　pure　consciousness
of　the　essential　reality；　i。e。　of　the　bare　and　simple　inner　nature；　and　is　thus　thought　—　the　primary
factor　in　the　nature　of　belief；　which　is　generally　overlooked。（3）　The　immediateness　which
characterizes　the　presence　of　the　essential　reality　within　it　is　due　to　the　fact　that　its　object　is
essence；　inner　nature；　i。e。　pure　thought。（4）　This　immediateness；　however；　so　far　as　thinking　enters
consciousness；　or　pure　consciousness　enters　into　self…consciousness；　acquires　the　significance　of
an　objective　being　that　lies　beyond　consciousness　of　self。　It　is　because　of　the　significance　which
immediacy　and　simplicity　of　pure　thought　thus　acquire　in　consciousness　that　the　essential　reality；
the　object　of　belief；　drops　into　being　an　imaginatively　presented　idea　（Vorstellung）；　instead　of
being　the　content　of　thought；　and　comes　to　be　looked　at　as　a　supersensible　world；　which　is
essentially　an　〃other〃　than　self…consciousness。

In　the　case　of　pure　insight；　on　the　other　hand；　the　passage　of　pure　thought　into　consciousness　has
the　opposite　character：　objectivity　has　the　significance　of　a　content　that　is　merely　negative；　that
cancels　itself　and　returns　into　the　self　；　that　is　to　say；　only　the　self　is　properly　object　to　self；　or；　to
put　it　otherwise；　the　object　only　has　truth　so　far　as　it　has　the　form　of　self。

As　belief　and　pure　insight　fall　in　common　within　pure　consciousness；　they　also　in　common　involve
the　mind's　return　out　of　the　concrete　sphere　of　spiritual　culture。　There　are　three　aspects；　therefore；
from　which　they　show　what　they　are。　In　one　aspect　each　is　outside　every　relation；　and　has　a　being
all　its　own；　in　another　each　takes　up　an　attitude　towards　the　concrete　actual　world　standing　in
antithesis　to　pure　consciousness；　while　in　the　third　form　each　is　related　to　the　other　inside　pure
consciousness。

In　the　case　of　belief　the　aspect　of　complete　being；　of　being　in…and…for…itself；　is　its　absolute　object；
whose　content　and　character　we　have　already　come　to　know。　For　it　lies　in　the　very　notion　of　belief
that　this　object　is　nothing　else　than　the　real　world　lifted　into　the　universality　of　pure　consciousness。
The　articulation　of　this　world；　therefore；　constitutes　the　organization　belonging　to　pure　universality
also；　except　that　the　parts　in　the　latter　case　do　not　alienate　one　another　when　spiritualized；　but　are
complete　realities　all　by　themselves；　are　spirits（5）　returned　into　themselves　and　self…contained。

The　process　of　their　transition　from　one　into　the　other　is；　therefore；　only　for　us　＇who　are　analysing
the　process＇　an　alienation　of　the　characteristic　nature　in　which　their　distinction　lies；　and　only　for　us；
the　observers；　does　it　constitute　a　necessary　series；　for　belief；　however；　their　distinction　is　a　static
diversity；　and　their　movement　simply　a　historical　fact。

To　deal　shortly　with　the　external　character　of　their　form：　as　in　the　world　of　culture　state…power　or
the　good　was　primary；　so　here　the　first　and　foremost　moment　is　Absolute　Being；　spirit　absolutely
self…contained；　so　far　as　it　is　simple　eternal　substances。（6）　But　in　the　process　of　realizing　its
constitutive　notion　which　consists　in　being　spirit；　that　substance　passes　over　into　a　form　where　it
exists　for　an　other；　its　self…identity　becomes　actual　Absolute　Being；　actualized　in　self…sacrifice；　it
becomes　a　self；　but　a　self　that　is　transitory　and　passes　away。（7）　Hence　the　third　stage　is　the　return
of　self　thus　alienated；　the　substance　thus　abased；　into　its　first　primal　simplicity。　Only　when　this　is
done　is　spirit　presented　and　manifested　as　spirit。（8）

These　distinct　ultimate　Realities；　when　brought　back　by　thought　into　themselves　out　of　the　flux　of
the　actual　world；　are　changeless；　eternal　spirits；　whose　being　lies　in　thinking　the　unity　which　they
constitute。　While　thus　torn　away　from　self…consciousness；　these　Realities　all　the　same　lay　hold　on
it；　for　if　the　Ultimate　Reality　were　to　be　fixed　and　unmoved　in　the　form　of　the　first　bare　and　simple
substance；　it　would　remain　alien　to　self…consciousness。　But　the　laying　aside；　the　〃emptying〃　of　this
substance；　and　afterwards　its　spirit；　involves　the　element　of　concrete　actuality；　and　thereby
participates　in　the　believing　self…consciousness；　or　the　believing　attitude　of　consciousness　belongs
to　the　real　world。

According　to　this　second　condition；　the　believing　type　of　consciousness　partly　finds　its　actuality　in
the　real　world　of　culture；　and　constitutes　its　spirit　and　its　existence；　which　have　been　described；
partly；　however；　belief　takes　up　an　attitude　of　opposition　to　this　its　own　actuality；　looks　on　this　as
something　vain；　and　is　the　process　of　cancelling　and　transcending　it。　This　process　does　not　consist
in　the　believing　consciousness　making　witty　remarks　about　the　perverted　condition　of　that　reality；
for　it　is　the　naive　simple　consciousness；　which　reckons　esprit　and　wit　as　emptiness　and　vanity；
because　this　still　has　the　real　world　for　its　purpose。　On　the　contrary；　in　opposition　to　its　placid
realm　of　thought　stands　concrete　actuality　as　a　soulless　form　of　existence；　which　on　that　account
has　to　be　overcome　in　external　fashion。　This　obedience　through　service　and　praise；　by　cancelling
sense…knowledge　and　action；　produces　the　consciousness　of　unity　with　the　self…complete　and
self…existing　Being；　though　not　in　the　sense　of　an　actual　perceived　unity。　This　service　is　merely　the
incessant　process　of　producing　the　sense　of　unity；　a　process　that　never　completely　reaches　its　goal
in　the　actual　present。　The　religious　communion　no　doubt　does　so；　for　it　is　universal
self…consciousness。　But　for　the　individual　self…consciousness　the　realm　of　pure　thought　necessarily
remains　something　away　beyond　its　actuality；　or；　again；　since　this　remote　region　by　the　emptying；
the　〃kenosis〃；　of　the　eternal　Being；　has　entered　the　sphere　of　actuality；　its　actuality　is　sensuous；
uncomprehended。　But　one　sensuous　actuality　is　ever　indifferent　and　external　to　another；　and　what
lies　beyond　has　thus　only　received　the　further　character　of　remoteness　in　space　and　time。　The
essential　notion；　however　—　the　concrete　actuality　of　spirit　directly　present　to　itself　—　remains　for
belief　an　inner　principle；　which　is　all　and　effects　all；　but　never　itself　comes　to　the　light。

In　the　case　of　pure　insight；　however；　the　concept；　the　essential　notion　（Begriff）；　is　alone　the　real；
and　this　third　aspect　of　belief　—　that　of　being　an　object　for　pure　insight　—　is　the　specific　relation　in
which　belief　here　appears。　Pure　insight　itself　has　like　belief　to　be　considered　partly　by　itself　（an
und　für　sich）；　partly　in　relation　to　the　real　world　—　so　far　as　the　real　world　is　still　present　in
positive　shape；　viz。　in　the　form　of　a　vain　consciousness　—　and　lastly　in　that　relation　to　belief　just
mentioned。

We　have　already　seen　what　pure　insight　by　itself　is。　Belief　is　unperturbed　pure　consciousness　of
spirit　as　the　essentially　real；　pure　insight　is　the　self…consciousness　of　spirit　as　the　essentially　real；　it
knows　the　essentially　real；　therefore；　not　qua　essence　but　qua　Absolute　Self。

Its　aim　thus　is　to　cancel　every　kind　of　independence　which　falls　without　self…consciousness；
whether　that　be　the　independence　of　the　actually　objective　or　of　the　inherently　real；　and　to　mould　it
into　conceptual　form。　It　not　merely　is　the　certainty　of　self…conscious　reason　assured　of　being　all
truth；　it　knows　that　it　is　so。

In　the　form；　however；　in　which　the　notion　of　pure　insight　meets　us　first；　it　is　not　yet　realized。　As　a
phase　of　consciousness　it　appears　in　consequence　as　something　contingent；　as　something　isolated
and　particular；　and　its　inmost　constitutive　nature　appears　as　some　purpose　that　it　has　to　carry　out
and　realize。　It　has　to　begin　with　the　intention　of　making　pure　insight　universal；　i。e。　of　making
everything　that　is　actual　into　a　notion；　and　one　and　the　same　notion　for　every　self…consciousness。（9）
The　intention　is　pure；　for　its　content　is　pure　insight；　and　this　insight　is　similarly　pure；　for　its　content　is
solely　the　absolute　notion；　which　finds　no　opposition　in　an　object；　and　is　not　restricted　in　itself。　In
the　unrestricted　notion　there　are　found　at　once　both　the　aspects　—　that　everything　objective　is　to
signify　only　the　self…existent；　self…consciousness；　and　that　this　is　to　signify　something　universal；　that
pure　insight　is　to　be　the　property　of　all　self…consciousnesses。　This　second　feature　of　the　intention　is
so　far　a　result　of　culture；　in　that　in　culture　both　the　distinctions　of　objective　spirit；　the　parts；　and
express　determinations　of　its　world；　have　come　to　naught；　as　well　as　the　distinctions　which
appeared　as　originally　determinate　natures。　Genius；　talent；　special　capacities　one　and　all；　belong　to
the　world　of　actuality；　in　so　far　as　this　world　contains　still　the　aspect　of　being　a　herd　of
self…conscious　individuals；　where；　in　confusion　and　mutual　violence；　individuals　cheat　and　struggle
with　one　another　over　the　contents　of　the　real　world。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（3）　The　Rationality　of　Pure　Insight

The　above　distinctions　doubtless　have　no　place　in　it　as　genuine　espèces。　I